Saving ‘Sister Wives’: Kody Tolerates Meri’s Glorified Walk-on Role?

Kody Brown includes Meri Brown on Sister Wives this season only to say that she’s still part of the show. Or at least it appears this way to many fans. This season doesn’t focus on Meri as much as in the past. Now it looks as if there’s a reason for this.

Does Kody Brown Side Step Meri Brown?

When Kody was singing his COVID blues, he said Robyn Brown was the compliant wife. Then he said he had “two other wives” giving him issues. He claims one is pretty much compliant [Janelle Brown] but not her kids.

Then he points out that Christine Brown was not compliant and explained that she wanted to be free. But Kody Brown didn’t mention Meri at all in this conversation. She’s been traveling back and forth to Utah to her B&B.

Yet, he didn’t include Meri Brown as an issue — or even as a wife. It sounded like he didn’t count her as one of his Sister Wives in that example. It is like she’s in the shadows this season. Out of sight — and out of his mind?

At family meetings about Coyote Pass, Meri didn’t offer much of an opinion. It was as if she didn’t have a say. His first spouse was there, but she didn’t offer her opinion. She went along with whatever the others said and did.

Robyn Brown Follows in Kody’s Footsteps on Sister Wives

Then there’s Robyn Brown, who says she’s upset by this fracture in the family. She talks about Christine Brown and Janelle Brown. She goes on to say that she knows what Kody wanted.

But she also knows what Janelle and Christine wanted. So, she claims the family situation is what has her torn. But there’s something odd in this line of thinking on Sister Wives.

She also doesn’t count Meri Brown in this conversation about Kody’s wives. Robyn says this rift between Christine, Janelle, and Kody destroying their family. But the estrangement of his first wife doesn’t seem to count. Not on this season of the show anyway.

When the host, Sukanya Krishnan mentions Meri, Kody dismisses the topic. He says there’s nothing to talk about with Meri. Plus, Kody calls their marriage antagonistic.

He says after a lot of counseling, he told her he didn’t want to get back together. Even TLC’s official Twitter asked if their marriage was “past the point of no return”.

It’s Only Business on Sister Wives?

This season seemed to revolve around four out of the five Brown adults. Sure, Meri was there, but not as much as the other spouses. Don’t forget, their TLC series is their family business. It may be the foundation of the family’s finances.

So, despite Kody not having a relationship with his first wife, they may need her there. Why? Because Sister Wives could face cancelation if spouses dropped out. Meri has a lot of fans. So, to prevent ratings from dropping, including Meri makes sense.

The viewers see the patriarch with his wives together in some capacity. But the closeness among the women and Kody is no longer there. So, there’s a question. Does he only see Meri, Christine, and even Janelle only when they’re filming?

After all, Kody and his wives don’t hide the broken relationships within the family. It’s keeping the drama on high. But is what the viewers see just the Browns manufacturing and delivering conflict for public consumption?

Meri is there but not in a functional marriage. It looks like they’re about to do the same with Christine Brown for Season 17 who’s also filming. When the next season rolls around she lives in Utah and is “divorced” from Kody Brown.

But Christine is still part of the show. Or should the description say, she’s still working in their family business? But what about Meri Brown? She’s been spotted filming but neither Kody Brown nor his sole “real” wife Robyn counts her, it sounds like…

Make sure to get the latest scoop on Sister Wives right here at Soap Dirt.